Exalto Wiper Technologies

The challange for Exalto Wiper Technologies

Exalto is made up of three divisions – Propulsion, Parts and Wipers – and it is the Exalto Wipers division that is starting to reap the rewards of advanced thinking and new production methods. Exalto Wipers is a highly regarded name and extremely popular in market sectors that rely heavily on windshield wipers. For instance ships and trains – many of which use their products to great effect.

“A train with a broken wiper is not allowed to leave the station and every part of a boat has to be made so that it can withstand the harshest conditions.”

Above all this is exactly why the engineering department at Exalto has played a pivotal part in what they have achieved so far. In 2016, a Tractus3D printer was installed to help strengthen the team and the way in which they perform. The impact of 3D printing was huge.

Competitive market

Due to the fact the market is already very competitive, Exalto always had to rely on their skilled workers and a tight team to develop products that work. However, traditional methods took too much time. It involved a lot of communication, a lot of planning and even then, when the time came to make a prototype, it could prove to be a waste of time. For that reason Exalto required a new way to think about how they can get a product to market in the fastest possible time and this is where our 3D printers came into place.

“In the first week of developing a new rain sensor for train windows, we were able to produce 12 prototypes on our Tractus3D printer. Normally, that would take us more than half a year. This rain sensor for trains is the first in the world. As we speak, it’s already being installed on new trains in Switzerland.”

John Minderhoud, Sr. Design Engineer

Solution for the Exalto

Within the first week after the implementation of the 3D printer the first great benefit of 3D printing was already visible. and soon Exalto was recording a world first.

From traditional to new methods

Using traditional methods, it took a lot of time and effort to get the results they needed. It required eight people from both buyers and external parties. Next to that it took at least two weeks production time and many Euros per mock-up before they even got to the final product. This old method of working was time consuming, inefficient and held them back. The biggest benefit is not the savings in external costs or materials. The biggest impact of 3D printing for Exalto is the fact that they have cut out all the intermediate steps.

Change the proces

These results of 3D printing made it possible for Exalto to really change the way in which they work. They can plan, develop and test their products and ensure that the final product was right in every way. This level of control over the production process made it possible to fine-tune their production and design to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness. The Tractus 3D printer had made it possible for them to work in a different way. To step away from old methods that were holding them back and move into an era where production comes at a reduced cost, with shorter timescales and better results.

3D printing had a huge impact and completely changed the way in which Exalto operated. It turned them into a team of specialists that could work quickly to create a product that worked. This level of freedom enables them to become a market leader.